Vaccines: The Myth of Medical Exemption

In the current melee of medical rights versus government mandates, vaxtremists often exclaim in disgust, “Eh, just go get a medical exemption if your child is so sick!” As a vaccine safety advocate who wants to retain the right to medical choice, I decided to research the parameters of medical contraindications to vaccination. Medical exemptions are based on these contraindications. Quite the dark, unpleasant rabbit hole indeed.

While the states that carry medical exemptions differ in their requirements for physician submission — some accept blanket letters for example, others require forms (1) — they all contain similar language: the physician must determine that a vaccine is contraindicated. Immunization recommendations are determined primarily by the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices), and these are then published in the CDC’s publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. A contraindication is a condition that increases the risk for a serious adverse reaction. A vaccine will NOT be administered when a contraindication is present. A precaution is a condition in a recipient that might increase the risk for a serious adverse reaction or that might compromise the ability of the vaccine to produce immunity. Under normal conditions, vaccinations should be deferred when a precaution is present. Medical exemptions are based on contraindications, not precautions. A precaution is essentially a delay in vaccination until the individual is medically stable.

One would think that contraindications might include issues such as family history of vaccine reaction, autoimmune diseases like diabetes or lupus, mitochondrial disorders, Down syndrome and other genetic maladies in which the individual is otherwise at risk for adverse outcome, but I didn’t find any of those things listed. In fact, there was hardly a list at all! I was shocked to find that the list for contraindication is short — very short — and there is but a single contraindication listed for all vaccines: severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of that vaccination. In fact, for 10 different vaccines, the only contraindication to administration was severe allergic reaction after a previous dose or component parts. The only autoimmune type of issue listed in the other vaccines was SCID, severe combined immunodeficiency, for the rotavirus, and severe immunodeficiency for the varicella (2, table 6).

Part of the table of contraindications for commonly used vaccines

Lets talk about what they consider to be a precaution. Remember, with a precaution, once stable, the recipient can be vaccinated. There is, again, but one precaution listed for every vaccine, and that was moderate or severe acute illness. Here is a sampling of some of the conditions considered to be mere precautions, notice some that were induced by the previous dose of the vaccine.

Precautions

Altered immunocompetence

Chronic GI disease

Guillain-Barre Syndrome less than six weeks after previous flu vaccination (so you can acquire GBS from the flu vaccine and still be considered okay to vaccinate)

Thrombocytopenia (an autoimmune clotting disorder)

Seizures within three days of last dose

Temperature greater than 105 degrees within two days of last dose

Persistent, inconsolable crying for three hours or greater within two days of last dose

In other words, you can be pretty danged sick and still be considered a candidate for vaccination. Even when that sickness was actually caused by the vaccine! In fact, if you are reading from the reference link, you will see in the very next table that the ACIP has gone on to chastise doctors for “mistakenly” taking illness into account when making vaccine decisions. “Studies indicate that failure to vaccinate children with minor illnesses can impede vaccination efforts (74–76). Among persons whose compliance with medical care cannot be ensured, use of every opportunity to administer appropriate vaccines is critical.” (3)

Conditions commonly MISPERCEIVED by doctors as contraindications (i.e., vaccination may be administered under these conditions)

Clearly, these tables are shocking. And quite frankly, any sort of critical thinking has been taken right out of the hands of the doctor. This is obviously how ‘paraprofessionals’ like pharmacists have been encouraged to act as vaccinators; it requires no thinking at all. And of course, as for doctors, there is no culpability if the recipient is harmed. A paraprofessional can just follow the schedule because it is highly unlikely that he will be seeing a person with a true contraindication. And if he is, it won’t matter since there is no liability for vaccine injury.

I wanted to point out one more tidbit I learned in my research regarding adverse events following vaccination. Clearly, contraindications for vaccination are partly determined by adverse event. I find it strange that autism was once listed as an adverse event, but now it is not. I have not seen leukemia listed as an adverse event, though just by its association with the immune system, one would think enough incidences would be reported to show up. Read the following statement regarding adverse event reporting carefully. “Manufacturers are required to report all adverse events that occur after vaccination to VAERS, whereas health-care providers are required to report events that appear in the reportable events table on the VAERS website at (3).” Yes, go take a look at that table. It won’t take long, its very, very short. In other words, physicians are given a set of mandatory reportable events. If that event is not on the table, then it may not be reported. And that, my friends, is a really effective way to take autism (and leukemia, and diabetes and lupus . . . ) right off the list of adverse events by vaccination.

Partial listing of reportable events following vaccination

The conclusion, then, begs the question, if there is almost no illness or disease that is is contraindicated for vaccination, what does this mean for a medical exemption? It becomes nearly impossible to attain, if the state so chooses to actually enforce the true contraindications for each vaccine individually. And during a hearing in Oregon recently, politicians warned they would be cracking down on doctors regarding following true contraindications.

Fight. Fight hard for your rights to maintain current exemption laws. Even with attempts to expand medical exemptions, your kids are not likely to be sick enough to escape further harm.

30 Responses to Vaccines: The Myth of Medical Exemption

I have an autoimmune history of psoriasis. Unfortunately, I was never told by doctors I shouldn’t be vaccinated, quite the opposite. When I was 18, my family doctor pushed the recombinent Hepatitis B vaccine on all his teenage patients. Soon, I experienced a surge on my autoimmune problems having developed acute allergic rhinitis, psoriasis, eczema, asthma and so-fourth. The result was 5-year daily cortisone to the point my skin was so thin and I had acute muscle and mental fatigue. I would sleep for 12 hours straight. many doctors would ask me if I took the Hep B vaccine and I would say yes. When asked about the safety of the vaccine, they would never respond.

Then I came to know some naturopathic physicians and I came across documentaries of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. McDougall and Dr. Dean Ornish and I did a 1-year detox plant based diet and managed to regulate my immune system. I continue following a healthy diet, although not as restrict as the 1-year detox program, and it has been 5 years I have not taken any meds. The autoimmune symptoms have gone away, except for mild allergic rhinitis.

I have refused to take the tetanus and flu shots, and all shots by the way. I wrote a letter emphasizing that I have a history of autoimmune diseases and until now, the medical staff have accepted. In case they don’t accept, I have a document with the possible ingredients and vaccines, that the doctor should sign by his honor, that he considers it safe.

The big problem here, is that Big Pharma pays the doctors 400US dollars for each vaccine given. It is a big industry, and the medical courses are tailored to serve Big Pharma. Our children are not a priority to doctors 🙁

I’m so very glad your autoimmune disease is gone. That’s amazing and inspiring for all! The diet you did sounds a lot like the one recommended by Dr. Zach Bush as well.

I just want to make sure that people know that pharmaceutical companies are not paying doctors $400 for every vaccine. (That wouldn’t make sense. It would cut into their profits.) INSURANCE companies are paying pediatricians bonuses if they vaccinate people over a pre-specified threshold, and WE are paying the insurance companies.

I don’t know the book you’re speaking about, but if by any chance it is one of the many by Dr. Vernon Coleman, there’s probably a reason it’s not well known. I read one of his, and it was full of assertions such as the ones you’ve mentioned with virtually NOTHING to back them up. The assertions may or may not be true, but no one reading his book would be able to judge for themselves. It was thoroughly useless. When you say something that is far outside the mainstream view, in order to have credibility you MUST back up what you say or make it clear that you are speaking your opinion based upon your own observations. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t do that — and that definitely includes MOST mainstream sources on the “other side” of the question, but they get a pass simply because it is the mainstream view. We have to be better than that to change minds.

I don’t know or remember coleman, but all that I posted was proven every year since around 1920 thru 1995 according to all I could find to read and study including while IN pharamacay skool (sik)!
I had forgotten it, and then I wasn’t going to post the name of the author, but since he died I guess it is relatively safe for him now…..https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Andrew-Moulden-Vaccine-Produces-ebook/dp/B00VNYPKHA
“Canadian physician Dr. Andrew Moulden provided clear scientific evidence to prove that every dose of vaccine given to a child or an adult produces harm. The truth that he uncovered was rejected by the conventional medical system and the pharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, his warning and his message to America remains as a solid legacy of the man who stood up against big pharma and their program to vaccinate every person on the Earth.

Dr. Moulden died unexpectedly in November of 2013 at age 49.

Because of the strong opposition from big pharma concerning Dr. Moulden’s research, we became concerned that the name of this brilliant researcher and his life’s work had nearly been deleted from the internet. His reputation was being disparaged, and his message of warning and hope was being distorted and buried without a tombstone.” “

Its inconclusive whether those with MTHFR deficiency are at at increased risk of vaccine reactions.

The site you list only states that smallpox vaccine has an association with adverse events. Further if you read the actual journal they are referencing you’ll find its a study in volunteer adults and the adverse affects are rash, fever and lymphadenopathy (swelling).
– Smallpox is eradicated and the vaccine is not routinely administered. This is the main point – no currently used vaccinations are contraindicated in MTHFR deficient people.
– The so called adverse outcomes listed can really be considered mild symptoms and are simply common side effects of activating your immune system – part of the process of vaccination.
– They were in adults, not children.

In summary – there is not currently any evidence to use MTHFR deficiency as a reason not to vaccinate.

Personally, I think its high time that we remove the law that protects vaccine manufacturers from law suits. Then, let them vax all the people that think “vaccines are safe” (personally I think Paul Offitt should be first in line) and we can take them out…ALL of them.

Great great info here! I’m speaking at the hearing for our state and city in a couple of days (!) and I have 1-4 minutes to speak of just this subject! If you have some clarity for me I’d love your help.
Since trolls are watching, I’d love to give you my questions off air. Please email me ASAP! We need to shut this bill down!!! Thanks so much. Much respect

Haven’t seen how to email you or anyone else.
A LOT has disappeared ((guess what – the internet has been largely censored, and quietly, and ‘officially’ both by governments, celebrities, and corporations, and anyone with enough money))…..

30 years ago, a parent could find enough easily on the web to cure just about any disease, and find out that shots and medicine in general CAUSES more disease and death than _____________ . ((fill in the blank with almost anything))….

Pray a lot, pray constantly. All mankind is lying. All society is pernicious. ((proven countless times))…..

Thanks for posting this much-needed article. There’s a lot of confusion re: medical exemptions on both sides of the debate. Questions: how do I find out each state’s ME requirements? Under what circumstances must the school submit a doctor’s ME note to the state? (Our family doc seems to think it is sufficient just to have a doctor’s ME note in child’s school file. Relying on ME is not the answer here but I need to speak with skeptics clearly about this. Thank you for all you do. Apologies for choppiness. Cell phone typing. :/

Thank you for bringing this horror into the light. California just introduced a bill to get rid of the personal preference exemption and the governor is all for it!! My kid’s two naturopaths — whose protocols have
almost cured him from the injuries he suffered from antibiotics and vaccines — both agree that any vaccines could easily be a “disaster” for him. Meanwhile, the MD pediatrician, who could maybe write the exemption, doesn’t believe in or know about healing autism, tho he’s witnessed it in front of his eyes every time I bring my child in for a visit. If it weren’t so horrifying, expensive, and crippling, this whole thing would feel absurd. In the Monty Python version, I could only get a vaccine exemption for a child who was actually killed by a previous vaccine.

I have a question about exemptions in general. I know it’s a common profile for a family who uses exemptions to have fully or partially vaccinated older children and completely unvaccinated younger children, but does anyone know where to find those proportions? Recently, our local newspaper published the names of schools with the highest percentages of exemptions and our school topped the list. Several parents panicked. However, my family fits into that profile. I have two partially vaccinated and two unvaccinated. Just wondering if anyone has collected that kind of data.

Great article! Makes me so angry though! And for many of us, we did not report adverse reaction to dtap (or other) because we didn’t know we could, or didn’t realize until later that is what was happening (as the doctor kept reassuring this was a normal reaction). We need to not get distracted by all the on-lone bullies and comedians horrific sketches and stay focused on legislature and our rights.

Jason, the standards are written by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is a CDC advisory committee: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html . They are almost all MDs. Good luck getting them to change the precautions to contraindications.

Jean, this is a very good article. There are a few more contraindications, for immunocompromised people, listed in Table 13 of the General Recommendations on Immunization.

TMR, I wish you would move your advertising to the sidebars or the bottom. I know you have to pay the bills, but the advertising banner at the top detracts from your credibility. One of the criticisms of the “anti-vaxxers” is that they’re just trying to sell something else.

“One would think that contraindications might include issues such as family history of vaccine reaction, autoimmune diseases like diabetes or lupus, mitochondrial disorders, Down syndrome and other genetic maladies in which the individual is otherwise at risk for adverse outcome, ”

Why would one think that? Family history of vaccine reaction, seizure disorder and the like were eliminated decades ago as contraindications.

Hi, Katarina! Loved you in the Olympics, but I have to say I always considered Debi Thomas the better skater. 😉 So . . . what credentials do YOU have to be a “vaccine safety advocate”? Personally, I think the only “credential” necessary to advocate safety is a desire for things to be safe. Call me crazy. And I know you will. 🙂

As to exactly WHY one would think history of vaccine reaction and autoimmune disease would be a contraindication? Well, if you had actually spoken to a few hundred or even thousand people whose children had suffered vaccine reactions (like most of us here), you would notice a few VERY common threads: family history of vaccine reaction, autoimmunity, mitochondria disorders, and, yep, the rate is higher in the community with Down syndrome as well. Do we have “data” to back this up? Not quantified data, no. You wanna know why? BECAUSE NO ONE IS STUDYING THE VULNERABLE POPULATION! Isnt’ that a kick in the pants? But those who do suffer vaccine injury then often go on to read the science — all the science, not just the “vaccines are awesome” science — and the science on vaccines and/or ingredients of vaccines and autoimmunity in particular make it clear to anyone who actually approaches the subject with an open mind that people with those conditions and family histories are at a MUCH higher risk of adverse vaccine reactions, many of them permanently debilitating, than the general population.

As a mom with a child who has Down Syndrome and Autism, I can speak to this. The reality is that our kids are susceptible to BOTH the diseases AND vaccine injury. Kids with DS have reduced glutathione (or rather insufficient amounts because of the overexpression of the third chromosome) so they can’t “take out the trash” so to speak. Our kids also have mitochondrial issues built into the syndrome. Both vaccines and illness has cause problems in kiddos with mito issues.
Physicians are clueless when it comes to the biochemistry of DS. I actually had a physician tell me that it was the physical differences (structural) that caused the problems in DS. I told him, then sent an article about it, that glutathione capacity is reduced. He had NO idea.

So yes, kids with DS are susceptible to illnesses, but they are also suszeptible to Autism (18.2% of the population) and also have high rates of ODD, ADD, and other various initials. I have now met many parents of kids with DS who are starting to put down the needles and pick up the real foods, herbs and supplements to maximize the health of their kids. And it is working. Nobody should be forced to be vaccinated either, not when either choice has consequences. I live with that every.single.day.

Since when do you need credentials to advocate for safety? Regardless, most people in this camp have personal experience and years of research in this area that speak volumes. I cannot believe your question was serious…wouldn’t it make sense that family history is a big red flag? It is for just about everything, so why would this be different?

Thanks for this. Can you provide the source for the charts published? I came to the conclusion that only anaphylactic reactions were basically deemed acceptable for medical exemptions. Is this incorrect?

We need to have very savvy and competent attorneys on our side to create infallible documents which will need to be signed by the medical doctor/clinic, local, state and federal health officials holding them liable for any damage; We certainly should never sign any forms from a clinic prior to vaccination which would hold them harmless. We probably need to go full force and take any law threatening our personal right to refuse a vaccine–class action. We pool our resources and tie up the courts for however long it takes!

Thank you for posting this critical information! Years ago, we had a family doctor who was very well aware of vaccine damage write a medical exemption for my son with severe vaccine-induced autism. The exemption read: “(my son’s name) is medically exempt from all further immunizations due to autism.” The school nurse took our exemption to the state heath department, who rejected the exemption and handed us a foot-high stack of forms stating pretty much what you’ve written in this post.
Basically, as you say, even if you are fortunate enough to find a doctor who will provide a medical exemption, odds are it will not be accepted by public health authorities. Our kids are screwed.